WSUM will host the ninth edition of Snake On The Lake music festival at The Frequency Friday, Sept. 9. Chicago rising stars Whitney are headlining alongside Carroll, Hoops and local favorite Trophy Dad, making this year’s lineup full of dreamy psychedelic guitars fit for the waning summer.
This is the first year that SOTL will be held off campus, an indication that the festival is growing from a student-focused experience into a citywide event. According to WSUM’s music director and SOTL organizer Karolina Barej, the change will help foster a relationship between UW-Madison and the city of Madison.
“It was my goal to help introduce the incoming students to Madison’s venue & music scene, all while making the festival still very accessible to community members. The Frequency was a perfect match,” Barej noted.
In addition to serving as a starting point for incoming music-loving freshmen, SOTL has a history of showcasing the various alternative sounds featured on WSUM 91.7 FM. Previous festivals have included previously unknown acts such as The White Stripes, Andrew W.K. and Burial Hex, who played the festival before their explosion into widespread commercial success.
Barej also emphasized that all of SOTL’s artists this year have recently released or are about to release music. “Trophy Dad and Slow Pulp collaborated with their split single. Hoops has a debuting EP coming out in August. Carroll is currently working on a new LP... Whitney has exploded in just the past few months due to their June album release of Light Upon the Lake.”
WSUM is collaborating with Colectivo Coffee, WUD Music and Friends of Madison Student Radio to organize this year’s festival, all of whom represent both student and local interests in fostering Madison’s music scene. Snake on the Lake is free for ages 18+. Doors open at 8 p.m.
